Cheating Danger

Instead of going back to my room, I found myself on a sandbar, walking barefooted along the shore with the waves washing off the sand on my feet, and watching the glittering water under the moonlight. Thinking of how people were treating me. Mum treated me like a puppet. Jason thought I'm just a sentimental, spoiled brat. Alina still treated me a kid who begged for attention. And Gregory. I didn't know how to interpret his actions towards me. Is it affection or pity? Does he think I'm a damsel in distress who needed saving or someone he needed to save him?

Then a jacket dropped on my shoulders, Leon appearing beside me. "It's too late to salvage that cigarette," he joked.

"Hmmm, still have a spare?" I retorted.

"That will be your last one, Missy. I'll cut off your finger if I found out you do," he warned.

"Says the chain smoker once."

"Most importantly, I stopped. Okay? By the way, how are you holdin' up?"

"Sucked at it. I can barely keep a straight face in front of mum."

"If ever the island or the resort was sold to anyone, I'll be the first one to know and I'll make sure it will never happen."

The thought of mum selling off the resort boiled the hell in me. "I'll die before it happens."

We were walking back to the resort when we crossed paths with Gregory and Alina. Alina was wrapping herself on Gregory's arms while he kept his hands in his pockets. They look like a couple in their honeymoon. On the other hand, Leon had his arm hooked around my neck.

Mum was wrong. Alina acted quicker than a thief. Maybe mum was right about Uncle Roger.

Leon pretended not seeing them even we locked eyes with them for a moment and turned us away on the opposite direction.

"Roger and Alina's agendum is clearer than my eyesight. Who on earth wouldn't want to catch a big fish?" he remarked.

Leon dropped me off in our villa's entrance. When Leon was out of sight, Anna and Charlie almost jump scared me.

"What the hell was that?" Anna asked curiously.

"Is there anything going on between you and Leon?" Charlie chimed in.

"Of course not. Leon looked out for me like a sister and he is widowed by my late cousin," I defended.

"Oh, as what the social media said," Anna agreed.

"But if you guys wanted him, he is so available. I hope no one had to cut other arms off," I suggested happily. "I'm sorry if I have left you back there."

"Yeah, like, I want to kill you right now," Charlie warned.

"That was some real tension back there," Anna remarked with an exasperated sigh. She continued, "and I hate to say this but your cousin, Alina, acts suspish."

"Like, she was obviously flirting with Gregory. She tramped Anna in flirting skills," Charlie said as a-matter-of-fact.

"Hey, I love Alina. She might be a little off but she's the kindest," I defended.

Charlie added, "or Gregory is just a world-class certified flirt and Alina fell to the trap."

"Yeah…" Anna was now thinking twice. "So, does that mean the ship has sunk?"

"The ship is a hallucination in the first place," I said, half-drunk. We now found ourselves at the bar drinking ourselves to death after partying real hard an hour ago.

"I can't believe arranged marriage still exist in this century," Anna remarked like she can't solve a puzzle.

Charlie was already zoning out then snapped. "I can't believe Gregory schemed you into that. He's such a great imposter. One thing, you'll think he's head over heels with you and in the end, he just flirts with everyone. Wow!"

Currently, I am babysitting two drunk ladies.

"But he was such a nice guy. It isn't his fault he has such a handsome face," Anna was now defending Gregory.

"Yeah, but use it to lure innocent girls and use them for his benefit is a CRIME!" Charlie interjected and suddenly felt throwing up so she went straight to restroom.

"But--- He was doing it for his company," Anna continued. She grabbed my face and spoke with her smelly drunk breath. "Think of this, Miss Artemis. He.Is.Right. Even if it just marriage of convenience, it benefits both of you. He will save his company and you will save this lovely island. His honesty is enough to trust him! A lot divorce these days so it's something you can actually do after. I mean, it might be—ummm---so unconventional but it might be the only and best option you have! Do it before Alina takes your opportunity away! And your Mama Hera, I think, is not going to let you get away with this!" And Anna passed out.

I chugged down my last bottle of beer as I reflect on Anna's words. She's right. The quicker I do it, the quicker it'll end.

It was two in the morning when Leon found the three of us sleeping out in one of the open cottages by the beach. We were apparently dropped dead on a cold, wooden cottage floor. We didn't bother since the resort was perfectly safe.

"You partied real hard, huh?" Leon asked while shaking me awake. "I don't have anyone with me so I'll get you in your room one by one, okay? Stay here."

He first carried Anna on his arms to her room. When he went back, he carried Charlie this time. I told him that I was capable of walking on my own and I would follow him to our villa.

I admit that my eyesight was getting blurry. I told Leon that I found my room already so he went to find Charlie's room.

I got annoyed when I couldn't open my door so I went on walking around to look for an open entrance. Our rooms in villas were individual houses so I looked for my balcony where I can just sneak my way in.

I successfully jumped over the balcony and thankfully my sliding door was unlocked. Irresponsible but grateful. I didn't bother to turn on the lights. Feeling all the tiredness all over my body, I immediately stripped away my sandals and dress and jumped onto the bed and lied down.

Suddenly, someone was moving beneath me. The thought was slowly registering in my mind since I was both tired and drunk. Then, I heard a male voice calling my name.

"Artemis?"

I got off immediately upon recognizing that voice. Gregory? F*ck. I stood up and turned to where the voice was from.

It was indeed Gregory naked under the sheets. Not only Gregory. With him was naked female sleeping soundly, in the name of Alina.

F*ck of all f*ckers f*cking. My mind couldn't stop swearing.

Gregory and I were both astounded by the situation that we looked at each other for a moment.

I suddenly realized that I was only wearing my undergarments when he looked down.

In a fraction of second, I grabbed my dress and sandals. When I got to the balcony, I put on the dress and jumped my way out. I landed on a rock and it scratched my knee.

I ran away immediately away from the villa after I saw Gregory stood on the balcony naked with all his glorified manhood.